ACID  PHOSPHATE, 

[liquid] 

A preparation  of  the  Phosphates  of  lime,  lnagne^ia, 
potash  and  iron  with  phosphoric  acid  in  such  form  as 
to  be  readily  assimilated  by  the  system. 

Prepared  according  to  the  directions  of  Professor 
£.  N.  Horsford,  of  Cambridge,  Mass. 

FOR  DYSPEPSIA, 


Menial  aii  Fhpeal  EtUioi, 


NERVOUSNESS, 

Weakened  Energy,  Indigestion, Etc 

Universally  recommended  and  prescribed  by  physic- 
ians of  all  schools. 

Its  action  will  harmonize  with  such  stimulants  as  are 
necessary  to  take. 

It  is  the  best  tonic  known,  furnishing  sustenance  to 
both  brain  atid  body. 

It  makes  a delicious  drink  with  water  and  sugar 
only. 

luTig^oratiiig:,  Stren§:tlieniugr, 
HEALTHFUL,  REFRESHING. 

Prices  reasonable.  Pamphlet  giving  further  particu- 
lars mailed  free.  Manufactured  by  the 

Kuraford  Chemical  Work8»  Providence,  R.  I. 
43-  B£\VAR£  OF  IIUITATIOIVS. 


FAMOUS  FILIALS, 


OR  


RENOWNED  BOYS  OF  CHINA. 

{^Translated  from  (he  Chinese.^ 


HY 


CLARA  NI.  CUSHMAN. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


BOSTON  : 

PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  TRANSL.\TOR. 

1886. 


“Filial  Duty  is  the  Root  of  Virtue.” 

— Confucius. 


All  Chinese  writers  extol  this  virtue,  and  many  books 
and  stories  have  been  written  to  set  forth  the  good  results 
of  filial  piety,  and  the  evil  effects  of  unfilial  conduct. 

The  stories  in  this  book  are  taken  from  one  of  the  most 
famous  collections,  called  “ Erh  Shih  Ssu  Hsiao.”  More 
children  are  familiar  with  these  stories  than  ever  heard  of 
“ George  Washington  and  his  Hatchet.” 

Many  of  them  are  related  of  boys  whose  fame  has  lasted 
through  thousands  of  3'ears. 

They  have  been  translated,  not  because  they  are  “true 
stories  ” or  the  moral  is  always  commendable,  but  because 
they  give  a glimpse  at  one  of  the  influences  that  is  at  work 
in  China. 

Who  can  calculate  the  vast  influence  such  stories  have 
had  through  the  centuries  in  moulding  Chinese  character 
and  “ in  imbuing  the  lad  with  a respect  for  his  parents  that 
finally  becomes  intensified  into  a religious  sentiment  and 
forms,  as  he  increases  in  age,  his  only  creed  — the  worship 
of  ancestors?” 


K yXIVlOUJS  K 1 LI  ALS. 


Filial  Piety  moves  Heaven. 


Four  thousand  years  ago  lived  a man,  named 
Shun,  who  was  a very  filial  son.  His  father  was 
called  Ku  Son,  or  “ Blind  Old  Man,”  because  he 
was  so  perverse,  and  so  blind  to  the  virtues  of  his 
son.  His  mother  was  very  stupid,  and  his  brother 
treated  him  very  scornfully.  Although  this  was  so, 
he  exerted  himself  to  the  uttermost  for  his  family ; 
unappreciated  as  he  was,  he  cherished  no  resentment, 
and  in  the  exercise  of  filial  piety  put  forth  all  his 
strength. 

By  the  riverside  he  made  earthen  vessels,  and  they 
were  neither  thin  nor  coarse  ; in  the  Lei  Tze  Lake 
he  fished,  and  feared  not  mighty  winds,  falling  rains, 
or  rolling  thunder. 


His  faithful  tilling  of  the  ground  moved  the  hearts 
of  beasts  and  birds.  Elephants  came  to  assist  him  in 
the  tilling,  while  little  birds  flew  down  to  turn  the 
soil  for  him. 

The  Emperor  Yao  heard  of  Shun’s  commendable 
conduct,  and  put  him  in  charge  of  affairs,  and  sent 
nine  sons  to  serve  him,  in  order  to  scrutinize  his 
business  life ; he  also  gave  him  his  two  daughters  as 
wives,  in  order  to  investigate  his  daily  life.  Shun 
conducted  affairs  for  twenty-eight  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time,  the  Emperor  Yao  ceded  the  throne 
to  him. 

Elephants  by  pairs  the  fields  did  till. 

Birds  in  flocks  the  weeds  did  kill, 

Heaven’s  heart  was  moved  by  the  filial  son. 

And  Shun  followed  Yao  to  the  Dragon  Throne. 


Filial  Prayer  moves  the  Tiger’s  Heart 


During  the  Ming  dynasty  there  lived  a man 
called  Pao  Shih  Fu,  who  was  the  only  support  of 
his  aged  father  and  mother.  He  served  them  with 
the  tenderest  care.  One  day  as  he  was  going  about 
in  the  performance  of  his  filial  duties,  he  met  a fierce 
tiger  that  seized  him  by  his  long,  loose  garments,  and 
bore  him  away  to  the  woods.  He  trembled  not  for 
his  own  fate,  and  not  a thought  of  the  suffering  he 
must  endure,  if  devoured  by  this  cruel  beast,  entered 
his  mind. 

In  this  hour  of  extreme  danger  his  only  thought 
was  of  those  who  were  dependent  upon  him  for  their 
living.  Moved  by  such  filial  emotions,  he  prostrated 
himself  before  the  ferocious  beast,  and  worshipping 
him,  said,  “I  am  the  only  support  of  my  aged  par- 
ents. If  I die,  how  can  they  subsist  Who  will 
feed  them  ? Who  will  clothe  them  ? Who  will  watch 
over  them  ? ” These  filial  words  so  moved  the  tiger’s 
heart  that  he  loosed  his  hold,  and  allowed  the  son  to 
depart  in  peace.  Ever  since  this  spot  has  been 
known  by  men  as  the  place  where  the  tiger  was 
worshipped. 


A Filial  Son  finds  His  Mother. 


Chu  Shen  Chang  was  the  son  of  a man  who 
had  two  wives.  His  mother  was  the  second  wife. 
The  first  wife  hated  her,  and  caused  his  father 
to  put  her  away.  Chu  was  about  seven  years  old  at 
the  time,  and  for  fifty  long  years  the  mother  and  son 
did  not  look  upon  each  other.  During  these  many 
years  he  arrived  at  high  rank.  In  the  midst  of  all 
his  honor,  his  filial  heart  longed  for  his  mother.  In 
the  time  of  Shen  Tsung  he  resigned  his  office, 
and  started  for  Shan  Hsi  in  search  of  his  venerable 
mother. 

As  he  was  about  to  leave,  he  called  his  family 
together,  and  took  an  oath  in  their  presence  that  he 
would  not  return  until  he  saw  his  mother’s  face.  In 
this  spirit  he  set  out  in  the  search. 

When  he  arrived  at  Tung  Chou,  he  found  her,  an 
old  lady,  seventy  years  of  age. 

Great  was  the  rejoicing  of  the  mother  and  her 
filial  son. 


Filial  Piety  Rewarded. 


I.\  the  Han  dynasty  there  lived  a man  named 
Kuang  Hsiang,  who  was  also  called  Wen  Chiang. 
When  he  was  only  nine  years  old  his  mother  died, 
and  ever  after  he  was  constantly  longing  for  her. 
All  the  neighbors  praised  his  filial  remembrance  of 
his  mother. 

Although  he  mourned  his  mother,  he  was  not  for- 
getful of  his  father,  but  for  him  performed  the 
hardest  labor  and  served  him  with  the  loftiest  piety. 
In  little  things  as  well  as  great  ones  he  was  always 
faithful.  In  the  summer,  when  the  weather  was  very 
warm,  he  fanned  his  father’s  pillow  and  bedding  until 
they  were  cool  and  salubrious. 

In  the  winter,  when  it  was  very  cold,  it  was  his 
custom  to  retire  long  before  his  father,  and  from  the 
warmth  of  his  own  body  supply  a delicious  heat  to 
his  father’s  bed.  The  official  of  the  place  heard  of 
this  wonderful  child,  and  told  the  emperor  of  his 
filial  conduct,  and  his  Majesty  rewarded  him  accord- 
ing to  his  merits. 


Filial  Tears  move  Heaven  and  Earth. 

In  a certain  dynasty  there  lived  a man  named 
Meng  Tsung  who  was  also  called  Kung  Wu. 
While  he  was  yet  a child  his  father  died.  One  day 
his  aged  mother  was  taken  very  ill.  In  her  illness 
she  longed  for  bamboo  soup.  It  was  impossible,  at 
that  time,  to  procure  the  tender  stalks  of  which  the 
soup  is  made,  for  it  was  winter,  and  the  bamboo  was 
old  and  tough,  and  unsuitable  for  use.  This  filial  son 
repaired  to  the  bamboo  forests,  and  embracing  the 
dry  stalks  wept  put  his  sorrow  that  he  was  not  able 
to  gratify  the  desire  of  his  aged  mother.  His  filial 
tears  moved  heaven  and  earth.  In  a short  time  the 
earth  opened  and  the  tender  bamboo  shot  forth  its 
graceful  stalks.  With  joy  Meng  Tsung  seized  them 
.in  his  filial  hands,  and  hastened  home  to  his  mother 
and  made  for  her  the  soup  for  which  she  longed.  As 
she  finished  eating  the  delicious  soup  which  her  filial 
son  had  furnished  her,  with  what  joyous  emotions 
must  his  heart  have  thrilled  as  he  saw  that  his  revered 
parent  had  entirely  recovered  from  her  illness 


Ice  formed  by  the  Filial  Son. 


In  the  early  Sung  dynasty  lived  a filial  son  whose 
mother  was  ill.  Many  physicians  were  called  in 
to  investigate  her  sickness  and  administer  to  her, 
but  all  were  of  no  avail,  for  she  could  not  be  induced 
to  swallow  their  medicines.  “ Ah  ! ” said  she,  “ if  I 
were  only  able  to  obtain  ice  I should  speedily 
recover  from  my  illness ! ” Alas ! it  was  hot 
weather,  and  the  son  sought  in  vain  for  ice.  On  a 
certain  day,  as  he  wept  and  mourned  that  he  could 
not  obtain  the  ice  for  which  his  mother  longed,  sud- 
denly he  heard  a noise  as  of  cracking  in  the  earth. 
He  wiped  away  his  tears,  and  looked  around  for  the 
cause  of  the  noise, — and  behold  ! there  was  the  ice 
his  filial  heart  so  coveted  for  his  sick  parent.  He 
seized  the  ice,  and  hastened  home  to  his  mother  and 
presented  it  to  her  with  great  joy. 

She  partook  of  the  ice  and  immediately  recovered 
from  her  illness. 


Frolics  of  a Filial  Son. 


In  the  Chou  dynasty  there  lived,  in  the  kingdom 
of  Chu,  a venerable  man  called  Lao  Lai  Tzu.  He 
showed  forth  his  filial  piety  in  the  great  pains  he 
took  to  provide  his  aged  parents  with  every  delicate 
dish  they  could  crave. 

Although  he  was  seventy  years  old,  he  stoutly 
affirmed  that  he  was  not  yet  old,  and  he  still 
dressed  himself  in  the  gay  garments  of  a child. 

He  danced  and  frolicked  like  a small  boy  to  amuse 
his  parents,  and  cause  them  to  forget  their  many 
years  in  the  thought  that  they  had  so  youthful  a son. 
When  he  brought  water  into  the  room  he  purposely 
stumbled  and  fell,  causing  his  father  and  mother  to 
laugh  and  forget  the  infirmities  of  old  age. 

Of  the  idiot  and  child  he  learns  to  dance  and  to  play, 
Spring  breezes  move  his  garments  so  youthful  and  so  gay 
The  parents  vievv'  with  joy  the  frolics  of  their  child, 

With  joy  and  with  mirth  their  aged  hearts  are  filled. 


A Filial  Son  takes  Oranges. 


In  the  Han  dynasty  lived  a boy  named  Lu  Chi, 
also  called  Kung  Chi.  When  he  was  only  six 
years  of  age  he  went  to  visit  and  pay  his  respects  to 
an  official  named  Yuan  Shu,  living  in  Chiu  Chiang. 
The  mandarin  treated  his  small  guest  with  great 
kindness,  and  brought  forth  oranges  for  him  to  eat. 
The  boy  embraced  the  opportunity  to  conceal  two  of 
the  oranges  in  the  long  sleeves  of  his  garment. 

As  he  was  about  to  pay  his  respects  to  his  kind 
host  on  taking  his  departure,  he  made  the  prostrations, 
and  alas  ! the  oranges  rolled  down  from  his  sleeves. 
The  mandarin  was  justly  indignant,  and  exclaimed  in 
anger;  “You,  my  respected  little  man!  You  come 
here  as  my  guest,  and  why  do  you  steal  my 
oranges  ? ” Lu  Chi  humbly  knelt  and  said  : “ This 
fruit  is  just  what  my  mother  loves  to  eat  ; knowing 
this,  my  heart  j^rompted  me  to  take  it  to  her.” 

Yuan  Shu  forgave  the  child,  and  was  moved  with 
astonishment  and  admiration  at  this  example  of  filial 
piety  in  one  so  young. 


Vain  Sighs  for  Filial  Burdens. 


Ix  the  Chou  dynasty  lived  Chung  Yu,  also  called 
Tzu  Lu.  He  was  a disciple  of  Confucius.  His 
family  was  so  poor  that  he  often  ate  herbs  and  coarse 
pulse.  It  was  difficult  to  obtain  rice  in  the  region 
in  which  he  lived,  and  in  order  that  his  father  and 
mother  might  have  suitable  food,  he  often  went  more 
than  a hundred  li  to  procure  rice  for  them,  bringing 
it  home  on  his  back. 

After  their  death  he  went  south,  to  the  kingdom 
of  Chu,  where  he  was  put  in  command  of  a hundred 
companies  of  chariots.  There  he  acquired  great 
wealth,  storing  up  tens  of  thousands  of  measures  of 
rice.  He  reclined  upon  luxurious  cushions,  and  his 
table  was  spread  with  many  costly  dishes.  In  the 
midst  of  all  this  wealth  and  magnificence,  his  heart 
often  turned  towards  the  old  days  of  filial  service, 
and  he  sighed  and  said,  “ Alas  ! though  I now  wish 
to  eat  herbs  and  coarse  pulse,  and  bear  rice  to  my 
father  and  mother,  it  cannot  be.  I cannot  now  have 
the  privilege.” 


A Filial  Son  divorces  his  Wife. 


In  the  Han  dynasty  lived  a man  named  Ting  Lan. 
His  father  and  mother  died  when  he  was  very  young, 
and  so  he  lost  the  privilege  of  serving  them.  As  he 
got  older  he  thought  upon  all  the  anxiety  and  labor 
he  had  caused  them  when  he  was  small,  and  said, 
“ Alas  ! my  parents  have  never  received  any  recom- 
pense.” Then  he  canned  wooden  images  of  his  par- 
ents, and  served  them  with  love  and  reverential 
fear,  just  as  though  they  had  been  alive. 

His  wife,  however,  after  some  time  gradually 
ceased  in  her  reverential  attentions,  and  one  day  she 
derisively  pricked  their  fingers  with  a bodkin.  Im- 
mediately blood  issued  forth,  and  seeing  the  son 
coming,  the  images  wept. 

Sing  Lan  inquired  diligently  into  the  cause  of  the 
flowing  blood  and  falling  tears,  and  the  wife  was  un- 
able to  conceal  it.  ' 

Having  ascertained  the  reason,  he  immediately 
divorced  the  wife  who  had  dared  treat  the  images  of 
his  honored  parents  with  such  irreverence. 


The  Filial  Heart  Aches. 


In  the  Chou  dynasty  lived  Tseng  Shen,  also  called 
Tzu  Yu.  He  was  a disciple  of  Confucius,  and  in 
his  faithful  service  of  his  mother,  he  furnished  to 
the  world  an  illustrious  example  of  filial  piety.  The 
family  was  poor,  and  Shen  often  went  to  the 
mountains  to  gather  firewood. 

One  day  while  he  was  gone,  an  une.xpected  guest 
suddenly  arrived  at  the  house.  The  mother  was 
unable  to  entertain  her  guest  as  she  wished,  and 
longed  for  the  return  of  her  son,  but  he  came  not, 
and  so  she  bit  her  finger. 

Far  away  on  the  mountains  the  son  felt  a strange 
pain  in  his  filial  heart,  and  taking  his  firewood  upon 
his  back,  he  returned  home. 

When  he  reached  the  house,  he  asked  why  he  had 
such  a pain  in  his  heart. 

The  mother  replied : “ An  unexpected  guest  ar- 
rived, and  I needed  your  help.  Knowdng  you  were 
bone  of  my  bone  and  flesh  of  my  flesh,  and  would 
feel  my  pain,  I bit  my  finger  to  let  you  know  you 
were  wanted  at  home.” 


Heaven  mves  Gold  to  the  Filial  Son. 

o 


Tn  the  Han  dynasty  lived  a man  named  Kuo 
Chu,  who  was  also  called  Wen  Chu. 

His  family  was  so  poor  that  his  mother  often  de- 
prived herself  of  food,  in  order  that  his  little  son, 
three  years  of  age,  might  have  necessary  nourish- 
ment. 

One  day  Kuo  Chu  said  to  his  wife,  “ We  are  so 
poor  and  destitute  that  I am  unable  to  support  our 
mother  in  a proper  way.  She  divides  with  the  child 
the  food  that  should  be  hers.  Shall  we  not  bury  our 
son  ? We  may  obtain  another  son,  but  where  shall 
we  obtain  another  mother  ? ” 

The  wife  dared  not  object  to  the  proposal,  and  Kuo 
Chu  proceeded  to  dig  a grave  for  the  burial  of  his 
son.  When  the  hole  was  about  three  cubits  deep, 
he  suddenly  saw  yellow  gold,  a whole  kettle  full, 
upon  which  he  read  the  following  inscription : 
“ Heaven  gives  yellow  gold  to  Kuo  Chu.  Officials 
shall  not  snatch  it  away.'  common  people  shall  not 
take  it  from  him.” 


A Filial  Son  laments  his  Mother’s  Feebleness. 


In  the  Han  dynasty  there  lived  a boy  named  Wei 
Po  Yu.  He  was  of  a very  filial  disposition,  and 
served  his  parents  well.  One  day,  for  some  trivial 
offence,  his  mother  beat  him,  and  he  cried  exceed- 
ingly. “ Why  do  you  weep  so  bitterly  } ” said  his 
mother.  “ Formerly,  when  I chastised  you,  you  did 
not  cry  thus.  Why  is  it  that  you  weep  so  exceed- 
ingly to-day.^  What  is  the  reason.^”  “Ah!”  said 
Po  Yu,  “in  those  days,  when  you  beat  me,  it  caused 
my  body  pain,  and  I knew  you  were  well  and  strong. 
Now,  as  you  chastise  me,  the  strokes  cause  no  pain, 
and  I see  that  you  have  not  strength  to  inflict  heavy 
blows.  I weep,  not  from  the  pain  of  the  punishment 
you  inflict,  but  from  the  fact  that  your  strength  is 
growing  less,  and  that  my  mother  is  getting  weak 
and  feeble.” 


Filial  Sacrifice  to  Mosquitoes. 


In  the  Chin  dynasty  lived  a boy  named  Wu  Ming, 
who  at  eight  years  of  age  furnished  a wonderful 
example  of  filial  piety. 

His  parents  were  poor  ; indeed,  such  was  their 
poverty  that  they  were  unable  to  .provide  themselves 
with  mosquito  netting,  and  so  found  themselves 
e.xposed  to  the  cruel  assaults  of  those  ferocious  little 
animals.  The  filial  heart  of  the  son  would  not 
allow  him  to  look  with  complacency  upon  the  rest- 
less, sleepless  condition  of  his  revered  parents,  and 
so  every  summer’s  night  he  retired  early,  long  be- 
fore his  father  and  mother,  and  allowed  the  mos- 
quitoes to  take  a full  meal  of  his  tender  flesh  and 
pure  blood.  Although  they  were  very  many,  he 
would  not  drive  them  away,  lest,  their  hunger  being 
unsatisfied,  they  go  from  him  to  disturb  the  rest  of 
those  he  loved  better  than  he  loved  himself. 

Truly  he  excelled  all  others  in  filial  piety  and  the 
love  he  cherished  for  his  parents. 


Ice  melted  by  the  Filial  Son. 


In  the  Chin  dynasty  there  lived  a man  named 
Wang  Hsiang,  also  called  Hsiu  Cheng.  While  he 
was  yet 'young  his  own  mother  died.  His  father 
married  again  a woman  of  the  Chu  family.  She  was 
by  no  means  a tender,  loving  mother,  but  was  con- 
stantly telling  the  father  in  secret  that  Wang 
Hsiang  was  not  a good  boy,  and  gradually  the  father 
lost  his  affection  for  his  son.  Notwithstanding  all 
this,  the  son  still  exercised  filial  piety  in  the  treat- 
ment of  his  step-mother.  On  a certain  day  she  de- 
sired to  eat  fresh  fish,  but  it  was  the  time  of  frozen 
waters ; so  this  filial  son  took  off  his  clothes,  and  lay 
on  the  ice,  hoping  that  the  warmth  of  his  body  would 
melt  it. 

Suddenly  the  ice  opened,  and  two  fresh  fish 
leaped  forth,  and  he  took  them  to  his  mother. 
Among  people  there  are  often  step-mothers,  but 
under  the  heavens  there  has  never  been  another 
Wang  Hsiang.  To  this  day  upon  the  waters  of  the 
river  are  seen  the  prints  in  the  ice ! 


List  of  Pub 


TONS. 


In  Boats,  Carts,  Homes  ^ Hearts  in  China. 


Famous  Filials, 

Or,  Renowned  Boys  of  China.  Illustrated. 


Peeps  at  Real  Girls  in  China. 

Translated  from  Journals  and  Letters  of  Clara  and  Sarah  Wang. 


Card  Photographs  

Peking  School  of  the  W.  F.  M.  S., 

AND 

The  Peking  Mission  Cart  and  Driver. 


PRICE  OF  BOOKS  and  PHOTOGRAPHS 

lO  cents  each,  3 for  25  cents,  20  for  9f-00 


PLL  TRY  BAND  CARDS,  lo  cts.  per  doz. 

These  cards  have  been  found  very  helpful  in  the  work  among 
young  people  and  children.  The  “I’ll  Try  Band”  already  numbers 
over  four  thousand,  and  should  number  ten  thousand  liefore  the  year 
closes. 

Any  of  the  above  sent  by  mail  on  receipt  of  price.  Small  sums 
may  be  remitted  in  postage  stamps. 

CLARA  M.  CUSHMAN, 

586  Fifth  St.,  So.  Boston,  Mass. 


